Means for piling sheets



March 2, 1965 w. o. JONES MEANS FOR FILING SHEETS Original Filed March 29, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Walter 0. Jones March 2, 1965 w. o. JONES 3,171,650

MEANS FOR FILING SHEETS Original Filed March 29, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 21s 7 a Y 12 2 I I g I h 1 4 249 r 248 I 246 247 A l :5 1

25s 254 4 245 244 x 255 h IIIIIIIY March 2, 1965 w. o. JONES 3,171,650

MEANS FOR FILING SHEETS Original Filed March 29, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Walter 0. Jones United States Patent 5 Claims. (Cl. 27186) This invention relates to means for piling sheets, particularly in a sheet classifier for classifying and piling thin flat steel sheets having variations of thickness and color, perforations and other defects. This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 231,313, filed September 24, 1962, which in turn is a division of my application Serial No. 649,438, filed March 29, 1957, which matured as United States Patent No. 3,104,006.

The invention which forms the subject of this application is means for forming an erect pile of sheets constituting one of the elements disclosed in my said Patent No. 3,104,066 and application Serial No. 231,313. The means for forming an erect pile of sheets comprises piling guide means extending transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means, opposed side sheet piling means, means to shift the opposed side sheet piling means simultaneously laterally outwardly and inwardly thereby varying the distance between the opposed side sheet piling means and means to shift the opposed side sheet piling means simultaneously in a lateral direction thereby maintaining a fixed distance between the opposed side sheet piling means. Means are provided to vary the position of the piling guide means extending transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means and means are also provided to vary the distance between the opposed side guide means by simultaneous adjustment of the opposed side guide means. The piling guide means extending transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means may be shifted longitudinally while means are provided to shift the opposed side piling guide means laterally in the same direction and in opposite directions.

I provide opposed side piling guides together with side guide traverse means, means for shifting the opposed side guide means simultaneously in opposite directions comprising a threaded member having threaded sections of opposite rotation engaging the opposed side guide means. Means for shifting the threaded member laterally to produce simultaneous movement of the side guide means in the same direction are preferably also provided.

In a preferred form my means for forming an erect pile of sheets may comprise piling guide means extending transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means, opposed side piling guides, side guide traverse means, means for shifting the opposed side guide means simultaneously in opposite directions comprising a rotatable threaded member having threaded sections of opposite rotation engaging the opposed side guide means, rotatable means surrounding and in threaded relationship to the threaded member and means to selectively lock the rotatable means to the threaded member for rotation therewith, whereby upon concurrent rotation of the threaded member and the rotatable means the opposed side guides will simultaneously move laterally in opposite directions and upon rotation of the rotatable member independently of the threaded member the opposed side guides will simultaneously move laterally in the same direction.

Other details, objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment of my invention proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 have illustrated a present preferred embodiment of my invention in which FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a sheet piling station;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the piler shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the piler shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View taken on line lV-IV of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line VV of FIGURE 3.

A sheet piling conveyor of which a fragment is shown in chain lines at the extreme left in FIGURE 1 and which forms a portion of the structure described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 344,297, filed of even date herewith, delivers sheets sequentially over a deflector roll 183 and a front sheet piling guide 213 which is mounted for adjustable shifting movement longitudinally of the sheet piling conveyor by means not shown herein but fully disclosed in said copending application.

A piling station receiving the sheets is shown in the drawings of the present application. It comprises a backstop 216 mounted on two pedestals 217 which are firmly mounted in the floor. A piling guide base plate 218 is mounted on backstop 216 and rods 219 which are slidably mounted in the backstop 216. A back sheet piling guide 220 is attached to base plate 218 upon resilient mountings 221. A threaded shaft 222 is firmly fastened to the rear of base plate 218 and extends into backstop 216. A short section of shafting 223 is journaled in backstop 216 in a bearing 224. It is attached to a hollow shaft 225 surrounding shaft 222 which is in turn attached to collar 226. Collar 226 is rotatably mounted on a thrust bearing 227 and is internally threaded. The internal threads on collar 226 engage the threads on shaft 222. A sprocket 228 is pinned to shaft 223. A handwheel 229 and a sprocket 231 are rotatably mounted on backstop 216 adjacent one of the pedestals 217. An endless chain indicated at 231 connects sprockets 228 and 230. A pair of air cylinders 232 are fixed on the reverse side of base plate 218 and have piston rods 233 which may be extended beyond back sheet piling guide 220 or may be retracted behind it similarly to piston rod 215.

Two sheet piling guides 234 and 235 are provided at the sides of the pile. They have smooth interior surfaces 236 and are mounted on arms numbered 237 and 238, respectively. Retaining plates 239 are bolted to the guides and form a passage through which the arms 237 and 238 pass. The side piling guides are slid-able along the arms and have their travel restrained within limits by pins 241 on arms 237 and 238 which slide in slots 241 of retaining plates 239. Latches 242 hook beneath sheet piling guide 213.

Two traverse rods 243 extend from end to end of backstop 216. Guide supporting members 244 and 245 are slidably mounted upon traverse rods 243 and support arms 237 and 238, respectively. A shaft 246 having threads 247 and 248 cut on it with opposite directions of rotation engages internal threads of guide support members 244 and 245. One end of shaft 246 is mounted in a bushing 249 on backstop 216. The other end of shaft 246 is threaded into a collar 250 which is journaled on backstop 216 in a ball bearing 251. A handwheel 252 is pinned to the end of shaft 246. A second handwheel 253 is mounted on collar 250 and is concentric with it. A pin 254, mounted in the hub of handwheel 253, is normally pushed inwardly by a spring 255 and normally engages an elongated keyway 256 in shaft 246. It may be Withdrawn against the pressure of spring 255 and maintained in withdrawn position by a keeper 257. Arm 238 is hinged at 258. It is normally maintained in straight position by a latch 259 but may be swung outwardly by pulling handle position. 7

An elevator 261 is mounted in the floor beneath 'the piling station. It maybe raised to any desired height by well-known means and is equipped with rolls 262 which are adjacent to conveyor 48 when elevator 261 is in lowered position.

The piling station is adjusted for the size of sheets to be piled. As above mentioned the front sheet piling guide 213 is adjustably positionable longitudinally of the sheet piling conveyor until the distance between it and the back sheet piling guide 220 is slightly greater than the length of the sheets. The head pulley, "take-up pulley and belt return pulley of the sheet piling conveyor may as disclosed in my said copending application easily and readily adjust the belt sections of the sheet piling conveyor for any adjusted position of the front sheet piling guide 213. The side guides are adjusted for width by handwheel 252. It is turned until the distance between inner faces 236 of sheet piling guides 234 and 235 is slightly greater than the width of sheets being piled. Side guides 234 and 235 will generally be located centrally on the axis of sheets being discharged from the sheet piling conveyor. The axis of sheets being discharged from the piling conveyor may shift laterally from time to time, however, because of variations in the sheets being piled, the strength of the magnets, the setting of the electromagnets or because of changes in the tracking of the conveyor belts. Variation in any of these may cause the sheets to be delivered slightly to one side or the other from the normal position. In such case the classifier operator will withdraw pin 254 by keeper 257 and rotate handwheel 253 shifting thereby guides 234 and 235 simultaneously to one side or the other for the best alignment with the sheets being delivered from the piling conveyor. All of the piling stations are adjusted in like manner.

While I have described a present preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not limit myself thereto and that my invention may be otherwise variously practiced within the scope of the following claims. v

I claim:

1. Means for forming an erect pile of sheets comprising piling guide means extending transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means, opposed side sheet piling means, means to shift the opposed side sheet piling means simultaneously transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means outwardly and inwardly thereby varying the distance between the opposed side sheet piling means and means to shift the opposed side sheet piling means simultaneously in the same direction transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means thereby maintaining a fixed distance between the opposed side sheet piling means.

260 while latch 259 is in open 2. Means for forming an erect pile of sheets comprising piling guide means extending transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means, means to vary the position of said guide means, opposed side piling guide means, means to vary the distance between the opposed side guide means by simultaneous adjustment of the opposed side guide means and means to simultaneously shift the opposed side guide means in the same direction transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means.

3. Means for forming an erect pileof sheets comprising piling guide means extending transversely of the direction of delivery ofshe'ets to the piling means and opposed side piling guide means, position shifting means to shift the first mentioned piling guide means longitudinally and means to shift the opposed side piling guide means transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means in the same direction and in opposite directions.

4. Means for forming an erect pile of sheets comprising piling guide means extending transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means, opposed side piling guides, side guide traverse means, means for shifting the opposed side guide means simultaneously in opposite directions comprising a threaded member having threaded sections of opposite rotation engaging the opposed side guide means and means for shifting the threaded member transversely of thedirection of delivery of sheets to the piling means to produce simultaneous movement of the side guide means in the same direction.

5. Means for forming an. erect pile of sheets comprising piling guide means extending transversely of the direction of delivery of sheets to the piling means, opposed side piling guides, side guide traverse means, means for shifting the opposed side guide means simultaneousiy in opposite directions comprising a rotatable threaded member having threaded sections of opposite rotation engaging the opposed side guide means, rotatable means surrounding and in threaded relationship to the threaded member and means to selectively lock the rotatable means to the threaded member for rotation therewith, whereby upon concurrent rotation of the threaded member and the rotatable means the opposed side guides will simultaneously move laterally in opposite directions and upon rotation of the rotatable member independently of the threaded member the opposed side guides will simultaneously move laterally in the same direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,750,396 3/30 Evans 271-86 2,069,424 2/37 Seft 271-89 X 2,832,480 4/58 Barski.

3,140,090 7/64 Winklef et a1 271-86 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Acting Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Examiner. 

1. MEANS FOR FORMING AN ERECT PILE OF SHEETS COMPRISING PILING GUIDE MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE DIRECTION OF DELIVERY OF SHEETS TO THE PILING MEANS, OPPOSED SIDE SHEET PILING MEANS MEANS TO SHIFT THEOPPOSED SIDE SHEET PILING MEANS SIMULTANEOUSLY TRANSVERSELY OF THE DIRECTION AND DELIVERY OF SHEETS TO THE PILING MEANS OUTWARDLY AND INWARDLY THEREBY VARYING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE OPPOSED SIDE SHEET PILING MEANS AND MEANS TO SHIFT THE OPPOSED SIDE SHEET PILING MEANS SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THE SAME DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY OF THE DIRECTION OF DELIVERY OF SHEETS TO THE PILING MEANS THEREBY MAINTAINING A FIXED DISTANCE BETWEEN THE OPPOSED SIDE SHEET PILING MEANS. 